James kelly



(No Model.)

J. KELLY. VENT STOPPER FOR ORDNANGE. No. 426,592. Patented Apr. 29, 1890.

q/vitmaooeo 'fiy we mums warms cm. mow-mum, WA'mmC-mn, u. (:v

JAMES KELLY, OF SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO EDIVARD DOUGHERTY, OF SAME PLACE.

VENT-STOPPER FOR ORDNANCE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 426,592, dated April 29, 1890.

Application filed August 5, 1889. Serial No.3l9j7l5. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

.Be it known that I, JAMES KELLY, a citizen of the United States, residing at San Diego, in the county of San Diego and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Vent Stoppers for Ordnance; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

Figure 1 is a top view of a piece of ordnance having my device attached thereto. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same, partly in section. Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical cross-section of the sliding plate. Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail view of a portion of the breech of the gun and the guide-plate.

My invention relates to vent-stoppers for ordnance.

Its object is to give a secure and reliable device whereby the vent of a fired gun may be so completely covered as to eliminate all danger to the gunners while cleaning and reloading the gun.

Many accidents have occurred by the premature discharging of a field-piece or other large gun when the new load was being rammed home after a previous firing of the piece.

My invention consists of four essential parts-a guide-plate B, provid ed with a groove or dovetailed recess a and secured by screws over the vent A of the gun, a dovetailed sliding plate O, a thumb-screw E, and an elastic pad G. The guide-plate Bniay, if preferred, be cast upon the gun when it is made. I have shown it here as made separately and attached to the gun by screws in the usual manner. By means of a dovetailed recess a in the guide-plate it is adapted to receive the sliding plate 0. Said plate 0 is provided with a collar D, screw-threaded internally, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The rear end of plate B is open, as shown in Fig. 4, so as to permit the padded end of screw E to come into close contact with and thereby firmly seal vent A. Set-screw E is fitted nicely into collar D. The lower end of said screw E is recessed, as shown at F in Fig. 2, for the reception of a pad G, which may be of rubber or other suitable material adapted to seal vent A.

It will be seen from the above that the sliding plate will be in the position shown in Fig. 1 when the gun is to be fired, and that immediately after the discharge of the piece the slide must be pulled to the rear of the gun, the screw E being then directly over the vent, as shown in Fig. 2. Then by giving a turn of the thumb-screw the pad Gwill be pressed tightly into the vent, making it absolutely air and gas tight. If the vent is perfectly covered, no premature explosion can take place. After reloading the gun the screw E is loosened and the sliding plate 0 restored to its former position, as shown in Fig. 1.

WVhat I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination, with a gun, of a guideplate B, a sliding plate 0, provided with an internally-threaded collar D, and a set-screw E, adapted to screw into collar D and provided with a pad G at its lower end, sub stantially as herein set forth.

2. A vent-stopper for ordnance, consisting of a sliding plate, suitable guides for said sliding plate, and a padded set-screw passing through said sliding plate, as herein substantially described, and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JAMES KELLY.

Witnesses:

ANDREW CASSIDY, H. H. DEVOLL. 

